1. < Depression & Anxiety

Medicinal Marijuana and Anxiety/Depression

Posted by flow65 @flow65, Jan 31, 2023

I’m not sure if anyone has an opinion or comments on my story. Since the pandemic I have extreme anxiety, depression, social anxiety, phobias, paranoia. I have a psychiatrist that I’ve seen for years. Then he stopped seeing patients. I was on Celexa and stopped it in 2020. He started seeing patients and I tried different antidepressants. Now I’m back on celexa. I was on Xanax and now on klonopin. I was told by him and my pcp it’s easier to taper. I’m slowly tapering. It’s very difficult. I’ve lost a lot of weight, loss of appetite and chronic nausea. Been to a number of gastro drs and had a number of tests. Today my husband and I went to see a hematologist/oncologist because I was concerned about my lipomas. He’s running a full blood panel with cancer markers. He and his PA asked if I ever considered medicinal marijuana. This is for my nausea and loss of appetite. He told us to research it. We don’t even know the cost. This is not the one you smoke. In the meantime they are contacting my pcp, psychiatrist and therapist to discuss all of this. So everyone is on the same page. He said it’s difficult to go from one dr to another and not get an answer. Especially when they think it might be one thing and it’s not. I was told by one gastro it’s functional dyspepsia. One gastro did a gastric emptying test. Of course, I’m skeptical about all of this. They said not to be concerned about the medicinal marijuana until blood tests come back and talking to the other drs.
Sorry for a long post. Thank you reading this. Flo

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cherip | @cherip | Feb 3, 2023

I'd be dead without cannabis. With the medical world as unbelievably screwed up as it is, patients need to do a lot of research that is confusing. It is so wrong that the expert tells the patient to go figure it out.

Here is what I can tell you:

If you are pre-transplant, don't. They will take you off the list. Same for nicotine. It took three years for nicotine to leave my little brother's system, and by then it was too late. He died. Not from weed - From doctors.

You cannot die by overdosing on cannabis. The propaganda of the 70s and, especially, the 80s, was mostly lies. There is no such thing ad Marijuana Maddness. It's just outright lies.

The budtender at a good dispensary can help you learn dosing, strains, forms of ingestion, etc. Now that cannabis is legal in the more forward-thinking states, we are beginning to get information about terpenes. THC is the one that is largely responsible for getting high. Other terpenes are better for pain (I like strains that have some CBG in them, each body is different).

Start small. Too much is unpleasant but you WON'T DIE! You won't augment, or get tardive dyskenesia, or ant of those awful "side effects" that can ruin life. It's a pretty low-risk experiment.

For info sake, I have familial heart failure (has killed my mother and little brother in the last 2 years), peripheral neuropathy, RLS, IBS/d, gastroparesis, depression, anxiety, PTSD, scoliosis, and lumbar spinal stenosis, along with a host of nerve pain throughout my body. No heart transplant yet; by the time I need one I'll probably be too old.

Incidentally, my heart improved slightly over the last year, and I use a lot of cannabis. Like I said, it keeps me alive.

Don't fear it. Oh- you don't have to titration off cannabis. You do, over time, develop a tolerance but it's not that significant.

Good luck. My dad doesn't like it, so he just keeps a pipe in little bro's memory. Cannabis isn't for everyone, but if it takes the edge off (it doesn't FIX anything), it is 100% worth it.

All my doctors know. None of them ask about it.

REPLY
1 reply
Colleencuknfunt | @donrealtesting | Feb 3, 2023

Hi Flow, This should take the fear out of trying. Selah Organics has a CBG product that is hemp. I just received mine today. It is a great alternative to Cannabis.
It's from Colorado private hand made small batch, and best price i've seen.

Here is the research: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2022/3336516/

This is the product I just bought! https://selahorganics.com/full-spectrum-cbg-tincture-750mg-1500mg-1oz-30ml/

Tincture page Lots of products. Been around since 2008.

https://selahorganics.com/private-reserve-hemp-products/
REPLY
1 reply
flow65 | @flow65 | Feb 3, 2023
In reply to @naturegirl5 "@flow65 There are many of us in our age group who are confused about the different..." + (show)
@naturegirl5

@flow65 There are many of us in our age group who are confused about the different forms in which you can purchase marijuana (cannabis). I decided to give edibles "gummies" a try because I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Cannabis is legal where I live (Michigan). I talked with my primary care physician about it since she's the person who knows my medical history and the other medications that she prescribes. While she did not recommend anything in particular she said it was OK if I wanted to try edibles. I already had a recommendation for a particular product from my stepdaughter so I searched online and found a local cannabis dispensary that carries the product. When I got the courage (!) to go to the store I found a welcoming atmosphere with a very congenial and knowledgable young woman at the counter. She made recommendations of how I should start (with a very small dose and at least an hour or two before bed) and then if I wanted to increase the dose how to do that. For edibles in the form of gummies this just means cutting the gummy into smaller pieces which is easy to do. She was right as my goal was to get sleepy not to get high!

Since one of your doctors made the recommendation given your medical history I think you are at a good starting point to do your research. I hope you find a dispensary as I did with someone knowledgeable about the products. By the way, I've talked with others in my age group who had similar experiences to my own.

Feel free to ask other questions as I expect that there are other members who will benefit from this discussion.

When do you think you might investigate the possibility of cannabis for yourself?

Jump to this post

I have another question. Does it have to be medical marijuana store? Can it be a regular dispensary? To just try a marijuana gummie. My psychiatrist thought it would be better to try a low dose since I’m so sensitive. The hematologist suggested to get a medical marijuana card. The psychiatrist said you have to pay for one. Supposedly it’s the same product at a medical
marijuana and a dispensary. Just wondering how safe either place is and what dosage? Who would be the one to tell you what dosage? Thank you for any info.

REPLY
flow65 | @flow65 | Feb 3, 2023
In reply to @cherip "I'd be dead without cannabis. With the medical world as unbelievably screwed up as it is,..." + (show)
@cherip

I'd be dead without cannabis. With the medical world as unbelievably screwed up as it is, patients need to do a lot of research that is confusing. It is so wrong that the expert tells the patient to go figure it out.

Here is what I can tell you:

If you are pre-transplant, don't. They will take you off the list. Same for nicotine. It took three years for nicotine to leave my little brother's system, and by then it was too late. He died. Not from weed - From doctors.

You cannot die by overdosing on cannabis. The propaganda of the 70s and, especially, the 80s, was mostly lies. There is no such thing ad Marijuana Maddness. It's just outright lies.

The budtender at a good dispensary can help you learn dosing, strains, forms of ingestion, etc. Now that cannabis is legal in the more forward-thinking states, we are beginning to get information about terpenes. THC is the one that is largely responsible for getting high. Other terpenes are better for pain (I like strains that have some CBG in them, each body is different).

Start small. Too much is unpleasant but you WON'T DIE! You won't augment, or get tardive dyskenesia, or ant of those awful "side effects" that can ruin life. It's a pretty low-risk experiment.

For info sake, I have familial heart failure (has killed my mother and little brother in the last 2 years), peripheral neuropathy, RLS, IBS/d, gastroparesis, depression, anxiety, PTSD, scoliosis, and lumbar spinal stenosis, along with a host of nerve pain throughout my body. No heart transplant yet; by the time I need one I'll probably be too old.

Incidentally, my heart improved slightly over the last year, and I use a lot of cannabis. Like I said, it keeps me alive.

Don't fear it. Oh- you don't have to titration off cannabis. You do, over time, develop a tolerance but it's not that significant.

Good luck. My dad doesn't like it, so he just keeps a pipe in little bro's memory. Cannabis isn't for everyone, but if it takes the edge off (it doesn't FIX anything), it is 100% worth it.

All my doctors know. None of them ask about it.

Jump to this post

I’m still skeptical. I’m not sure what to do. I hate to get dependent on something else. My anxiety depression is preventing me to believe and feel safe. I’m so on edge now even more so just thinking about it. Thank you

REPLY
flow65 | @flow65 | Feb 3, 2023
In reply to @donrealtesting "Hi Flow, This should take the fear out of trying. Selah Organics has a CBG product..." + (show)
@donrealtesting

Hi Flow, This should take the fear out of trying. Selah Organics has a CBG product that is hemp. I just received mine today. It is a great alternative to Cannabis.
It's from Colorado private hand made small batch, and best price i've seen.

Here is the research: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2022/3336516/

This is the product I just bought! https://selahorganics.com/full-spectrum-cbg-tincture-750mg-1500mg-1oz-30ml/

Tincture page Lots of products. Been around since 2008.

https://selahorganics.com/private-reserve-hemp-products/

Jump to this post

So much research that my husband and I don’t understand. Have to wait to talk to my dr. Thank you.

REPLY
1 reply
Colleencuknfunt | @donrealtesting | Feb 4, 2023
In reply to @flow65 "I hope you don’t mind me asking you questions. I have no idea about any of..." + (show)
@flow65

I hope you don’t mind me asking you questions. I have no idea about any of this. Dosage, side effects. I’m so sensitive to meds. I’m afraid to even try it. Thank you for your previous post. Would there be a problem if I private messaged you sometime? Thanks again.

Jump to this post

Anyone thinking of adding Cannabis or hemp should always consult their primary doctor. It's not for everyone. People should have respect for it. It is a drug, and a herb.

REPLY
Colleencuknfunt | @donrealtesting | Feb 4, 2023
In reply to @flow65 "So much research that my husband and I don’t understand. Have to wait to talk to..." + (show)
@flow65

So much research that my husband and I don’t understand. Have to wait to talk to my dr. Thank you.

Jump to this post

You're welcome. That is very wise!

REPLY
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Feb 4, 2023

I am someone who lives with anxiety, bouts of depression, and have done so for decades. In addition, there are physical health concerns that contribute to the depression and anxiety. On my list of medications, I clearly state CBD, and say PRN [as needed] for the dosage. What works for me recently, is a 50mg softgel from Lazarus Naturals, taken about 3 hours before I hope to go to bed. It helps me relax and aim for a better sleep, with fewer interruptions. One of my biggest sleep issues is getting my mind to shut down. My medical team, including my oncologist and nephrologist, are fine with me doing this self-medication and applaud the fact I researched it on my own.
Ginger

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